The Dickinson press., 1887-04-30

lne GrcCa was speeding over CAIN sea-
In four more days they were due at Mel
bourne. Col. keatly, sitting smoking in the
shadows of the boats, felt irritated with
things in general. He felt irritated with the
favorable wind and tide which were bearing
him so swiftly to his destination Rough
weather, n very tempest, would have been
more congcnial to his mood just then The
sounds of the waltz measure played on the
poop deck, to which many feet We're moving
in time, also irritatctl him. 1t irritatcd him
to be left alone with his most annoying
thoughts, although when a voice beside him
broke i'll OH his reverie he put it down at first
as an extra source of worry.
IAN alone, Col Keatly! came to look for
you. Every ono is in despair at your alb
scncc."
81 don't WONDER" he said, savagely. Such
u graceful waltzer must needs be missed when
there is dancing going on"
He alluded to a reminiscence of his last
campaign in the shape of a bullet which had
shattered his left hip and rendered him lame
for life.
"Dancing is not everything" said the girl.
You used to be able to talk Now it seems
you can only growl What's the matter'"
Margaret Elliott was an admirable speci-
men of an English girl, tall, supple and
graceful in figure, with thick chestnut hair
and clear, gray eyes. Her very beauty and
frank, easy manner annoyed Col. Keatly just
then.
II suppose you are overjoyed at the pros
pect of a speedy ending to tho voyage2" he
sai,l testify.
why, no, I've had a delightful time here;
and know shall feel something Of wait
in Melbourne"
"But you have relations there"
THAT is the very reason. have two Sis
tiers md q brother all married; and mamma
is enraptured at the idea of being introduced
to her new sons and daughter and their babies,
Willie shall feel neglected and alone. You
know single daughters don't count for much
with mothers"
"Then You will be little sorry to leave
your friends of shipboard:'
Very, very sorry-most of them."
"Do count among those, Miss Elliott"
In the starlight she seemed to flush and
droop a little ere she answered, with /,
striving after her old air of careless good
fellowship:
Most certainly you do"
AS he watched the slight trouble Of her
face the thought came again, as it had como
way of escape out of tho meshcs that sur
rounded him. His freedom was gone from
him forever, but was it not better to sur
render it to this bright, joyous, youthful girl
than to Il l,lle, fearful widow, with memories
and semtimentalities out of the past, which
wonl be constant reprcach to him! He
la,i crown to hatc the remembrance Of that
moment of passion; he had grown to dread
lao. # fnlo1htpulv
future held for him.
SO it ca,uc to pass that when Mrs. Elliott
found her daughter, an hour later, and sum-
n",lcl her TO bed, Col. kcatly stood up and
said the old charm of manner, the old chival-
ro',4 grac. quite restored:
Mrs. Elliott. give her to you now, but it
is with the understanding that some day, not
far distant, you will give her back to me as
my wife"
Mrs. Sc,lswcll sat in her room one hot
afternoon pretending to read, pretending to
work; but putting aside both book md needle
from time to time to gaze ut herself i'll the
mirror and commune happily with her own
image Since the Greta was signaled, two
DAYS ago, her heart had been in a constant
ilutter Her check flushed at every footstep,
and she would not leave the house Tor fear of
missing the expected visitor. AT last n
servant entered, and, with the first words,
Col. kcatly," Mrs Sedgwick started to her
feet; she did not wait to hear "and n lady, /"
with which the sentence finished. She ran
swiftly down the stairs. never even pa,lsng
for another look in her glass. Indeed, she had
! forgotten herself; she thought only of him she
was about TO meet, after so long an absence.
! The room She entered was dark with care
! fully closed blinds, aud the blood was surg
ing so in her veins that her sight was dim.
She saw only the tall figure and dark hsnd-
some face of her one time lover. She came
forward with extended hands.
"Donald, | knew You would come to me-"
| He took her hands in both his own and,
being emotional and easily impressed, felt for
a moment almost overcome. Then, ere the
silence grew embarrassing, he said:
II was so sorry to hear of your trouble.
/ came almost as soon us we landed, and have
brought some one whom think you will be
/ glad to sec for my sakc-Miss Elliott, my in
tended wife"
| The mist would not clear, strive MS she
! might Her blood seemed to flow thickly
| and sluggishly. She tried to speak, i'll vain
then made Il movement toward the sofa, but
fell fainting to the floor before she could
reach it.
81 will come and see you again when you
erc stronger Col. keatly said, as, restored
to consciousness, Mrs. Srdswick made al
effort to utter some commonplace sentences
"You have ovcrtaxcl your strenth You
need rest and quiet. Good by; take care Of
yourself. God bless YOU
DONALD" Margaret Elliott said, as they
walked away together, didn't you tell me
You only made Mrs S,dgwicli's acquaintance
after she was marricd!'
"Ics'
1 "Well, then, don't like her. She's bad
woman; for, Donald, tell you she's in love
with YOU. OF course you don't know it; mer
nre 50 s,npi,l hut she is, she is-and, Donald
shall never 90 and see her again"
lie did not press her. Indeed, OH second
thoughts, be concluded it would he better il
he himself did not so to see Mrs. Sedgwich
again. lii after years, should they meet
things would 80 smoothly, but now it was Il
l;ttle uncomfortable And Col. keatly hated
to be made uncomfortabe.-Rc Henry ir
Homo Chimes.